Plays by Alan Richardson

When a Man Knows - the One Act Opera

An Opera in One Act by Robert Hugill

Libretto adapted by Robert Hugill from the play by Alan Richardson

First concert performance, conducted by David Roblou, at St John's Church, Waterloo Road, London, Sunday 13th June 2010.
Second concert performance at the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, London, Saturday 21st August, 2010.
First staged performance the Bridewell Theatre, London, 30th March - 2nd April, 2011. (see flyer and review at foot of page)

The forces required to turn a two-hander play into an opera.
One composer, one conductor, four singers; Soprano, Baritone, Alto and Tenor,
plus an instrumental ensemble of violin, clarinet, cello and piano.
(Robert Hugill is front row, left)

Any enquiries concerning the opera should be directed to;
www.hugill.demon.co.uk

Robert Hugill's When a Man Knows needs to transfer to somewhere higher profile, where it can get the exposure it deserves. This is what good chamber opera should be like. It's modern, yet not so experimental that it can't reach out and draw an audience in. It's compact, too, and travels well. What I liked most about Hugill's When a Man Knows is the abstraction and spartan simplicity. This allows for endless possibilities. Will The Woman relent? Will the Man die a horrible slow death? Who really is to blame, if blame is at all relevant. Can, or should people change their nature because something bad might happen? Better an opera that poses questions than one that revamps clichés. - Classical Iconoclast.

I was pleasantly surprised by its composition, the text too was incredibly mysterious and thought provoking 
(a surreal setting of man tied up in warehouse by woman). - Opera Britannia